Page 7 of The Haunting of the Mountain

“Hello?”

“Stay away,” I hear faintly. “I-I’ve got a camera.”

The hairs on my neck and arms stand up, tingling at the sound of her voice. It’s sweet and feminine and does a number on my body. I swallow but my mouth is bone dry. It takes me a couple of seconds to refocus.

“A camera?” I pause as a smile forms on my lips. “Mind if I brush my beard before you photograph me to death?”

My heart starts pumping, anticipating a response. No. Needing one. I want to hear that voice again but I’m met with silence.

“Look,” I say, scratching my head. “This is my cabin. I don’t know what my nephew told you. I’m not exactly sure what you’re doing here with your Ouija board and creepy doll but I’ve had a long day. You bloodied my nipple and the only way…” I pause because I get a funny feeling. I press my ear against the door and it sounds like the storm’s inside the cabin.

I rattle the door handle but it’s locked. No matter. The door doesn’t lock fully. All I need to do is shake it and the latch should…click.

I push open the door but she’s gone. The window is open, and I can vaguely make out a slight figure running toward the tree line and it sends my heart into overdrive. She’s going to kill herself out there.

I rush for the window, barely stopping myself from diving through it. Knowing my luck, I’d knock myself out. Break my shoulder. And I can’t have that when she’s out there. After a little grunting and maneuvering, I fall on my face in the cold, wet grass.

I make it to my feet, still bare, but I don’t mind and race after the girl. My heart lurches when I see her slip and fall, crying out as I close the gap and slide onto my knees next to her.

“Jesus, are you trying to get yourself killed?” I rasp through ragged breaths as I scan the parts of her that I can see for injuries.

She’s soaked to the bone, shivering with her back turned to me as she clutches her leg.

I reach for her shoulder and pull, and when I see her face, I can’t breathe. It’s dark out here, but I swear I’m staring at an angel. She’s gorgeous. Fucking beautiful with her pale skin and cherry lips and eyes so blue I swear they’re ice. But the look she’s giving me is anything but icy. It’s fiery and I feel the burn spread all over me.

“The exact opposite, actually” she gusts, trying to push herself away from me.

I grab her by the ankles, riveting her in place. “Could’ve fooled me. You’d freeze to death out there in this weather.”

She struggles against my grip but I’m not letting her go.

Never letting her go.She’s mine.

The voice shoots out from the depths of me. It startles me enough that I loosen my grip, and then again when I’m shot in the eyes with something liquid.

“Holy water,” she screams, tossing a squirt gun at me as she breaks free.

When I finally wipe the water out of my eyes, I see a blurry outline of her, hobbling off into the forest like she’s in some horror movie.

I pound the ground and then stand up. I consider calling after her, but it’s clear nothing I can say will change her mind. No matter. I’ll have to take a more direct approach to protect her.

“Let. Me. GO!”the girl screams, banging on my back as I carry her up the steps to my cabin.

I grunt a response. Not going to waste breath until she’s inside. Need to get her out of those wet clothes, clean her up, and make sure she’s not hurt. Once she’s warm and taken care of,we’ll figure things out. I might even share some of that cobbler I’ve been saving with her.

“You’ll never get away with it,” she says as I unlock and then open the door, slamming it shut with my foot.

I shake my head. “With what? Saving your life?”

“Saving my life?” She thumps me again.

“Could you stop that?”

She groans. “You’re the one who’s trying to kill me.”

Sighing, I turn around, bolt the door, and then set her gently down on the couch before heading to the kitchen. I flip the light on and grab the kettle, filling it with water.

“I’ve got peppermint or chamomile. Have a preference?”

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